Maharaj makes history as Proteas win series in the West Indies

South Africa claimed a 40-run victory in an action packed second Test against the West Indies in Guyana on Saturday, with Keshav Maharaj taking the final wicket, and becoming SA’s leading Test wicket taking spinner in the process. 

After a roller-coaster third day, the Proteas, who’d earlier set the home team 263 runs for victory, bowled them out for 222, with Maharaj taking 3/37. In doing so he moved past Hugh Tayfield’s record of 170 wickets, which had stood for almost 65 years. 

At the same time, Maharaj also postponed teammate Kagiso Rabada’s pursuit of a major milestone. Rabada, who also picked up three wickets, will have to chase his 300th wicket in SA’s next Test against Bangladesh in October. 

More importantly than those individual accolades there was a Test victory to celebrate for an inexperienced Proteas side, who were made to fight hard by a determined West Indies team at the National Stadium in Georgetown. 

The West Indies had speedily wrapped up the South African second innings within the first hour of play on Saturday, thanks to Jayden Seales’s first Test five-wicket haul of his career. 

Resuming at 223/5, the Proteas saw Wiaan Mulder dismissed in the first over of the day. The tourists suffered their second collapse of the innings, losing the bottom half of the batting order for just 23 runs. 

Seales finished with 6/61, deserved reward for a courageous and skilful performance. 

Rabada made an early breakthrough when he had Mikyle Louis caught at third slip by Mulder in the fifth over. 

The West Indies batters showed more grit than they did in the first innings, but despite promising starts from Kraigg Brathwaite, Keacy Carter, Alick Athanaze and Kevam Hodge none could produce a score of substance. 

It was Mulder, like he did in the first innings, who gave SA back some control removing Brathwaite and Carter, after which Dane Piedt, getting his opportunity to bowl in the series, picked up two wickets, to seemingly set SA on the path to a comfortable victory. 

However, Gudakesh Motie and Joshua da Silva, following the example set by Mulder and Kyle Verreynne who shared an 85-run partnership in SA’s second innings, showed greater impetus than their teammates to create anxiety among the South Africans. 

The pair kept the scoreboard ticking with sharp singles, and took advantage against any loose deliveries from the South Africans, to put together a partnership of 77 for the seventh wicket. 

Maharaj made a vital breakthrough in the 13th over after the tea interval when Motie was adjudged lbw by umpire Ahsan Raza after he’d scored 45. 

The West Indies batter had referred the decision to the third umpire, with replays favouring the on-field decision, something that worked in Maharaj’s favour in his next over too when Raza raised his finger to send Da Silva on his way. 

He was visibly upset about the decision, probably cursing his side’s luck given how some decisions when South Africa batted, went the way of the tourists. 

Temba Bavuma claimed a stunning one-handed catch at mid-on to get rid of Shamar Joseph, who had been missed in the slips earlier in the same over, giving Rabada his 299th wicket. 

Maharaj was named player of the series, after taking 13 wickets in the two Tests. Mulder, was awarded the player of the match prize, for his 34 runs in the second innings, the six wickets he took along with three catches. 

While pleased with the outcome, that still keeps alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final, it was a far from flawless performance by Bavuma’s team.

South Africa will look back at numerous opportunities where they should have put the game out of sight, especially after gaining a 16-run first innings lead. 

The openers, after starting purposefully, got bogged down, allowing the West Indies to pick up four wickets quickly, and then at the start of the third day’s play, another collapse occurred, which raised the home side’s hopes. 

When Motie and Da Silva started their partnership, South Africa almost retreated allowing too many easy singles. 

Those are all lessons this still inexperienced team must heed, but on this occasion it can be done while sipping on the sweet taste of success.